Chair yoga: simple and quick, it's the secret to improving your overall well-being while sitting down
Famous for being a discipline that improves flexibility and one's overall state of well-being, yoga can greatly benefit its practitioners. But like all activities, there may be reasons why you cannot take up this activity. But now, enjoying doing yoga is even more accessible to all of us: chair yoga is a variant of the traditional practice that can performed even while sitting down.
If you too have always wanted to practice yoga but don't have time or you don't know where to start, chair yoga may be right for you: suitable for everyone, this method will guarantee you numerous benefits with very little effort.
So what are the beneficial effects of doing chair yoga and how can you do it at home or in the office? Let's find out below:
The benefits of chair yoga
As already mentioned, chair yoga is an adaptation of traditional yoga positions to be performed while sitting on a chair. This is particularly suited for those who usually cannot perform these exercises due to mobility issues such as elderly or convalescing people, pregnant women and people recovering from an injury.
The benefits of chair yoga are multiple: it helps relaxation, improves one's mood and the quality of sleep as well as keeping the mind active, and more. Chair yoga also has numerous physical benefits, such as strengthening muscles, improving posture, increasing flexibility and, last but not least, weight control.
So how do you practice chair yoga? Let's see some simple exercises that you can do while sitting comfortably at home or in the office:
A simple, daily chair yoga routine
You can practice chair yoga at any time of your day and wherever you are, as long as you have a chair available. You can choose to perform just one or two of the below-described positions to release tension and relax. Try these simple exercises to immediately feel the benefits:
- Cat-cow on the chair: sitting with your back straight and your hands resting on your knees or thighs, while inhaling, arch your spine, bringing your shoulder blades backwards into the so-called cow position; then, while exhaling, bend your back forward bringing your chin to your chest and with your shoulder blades facing down. Repeat for 5 breaths;
- Lateral angles on the chair: bend your torso forward, placing your left hand on the floor along the outside of your left foot and open your chest by exhaling and bringing your right arm up. Look up and hold for a few breaths, then repeat on the other side;
- Pigeon on the chair: rest your right ankle on your left knee keeping your right knee aligned with you ankle; if you can, bend forward to increase the stretch and hold for a few breaths. Repeat on the other side;
- Eagle on the chair: cross your right thigh over your left and, if you can, wrap your foot around your calf; also cross your left arm over your right, bending your elbows and bringing your palms together. Maintain this position with your shoulders sloped down; then, repeat on the other side;
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- Warrior 1 on the chair: Bring your right leg to the side of the chair and your left leg behind you, pointing your foot parallel to the chair. Keeping your torso straight, face your right leg and raise your arms to the ceiling while inhaling and maintaining the position;
- Warrior 2 on the chair: from the above position, place your arms parallel to the ground while exhaling, the left arm backwards and the right forward; Look at the tips of the fingers on your right hand and hold this position;
- Reverse warrior: starting from the above position, let your left arm slide over your left leg and inhale; then bring your right arm upwards, arching your back slightly. Hold this position for 3 breaths, then bring both legs to the left of the chair and repeat the entire warrior sequence on the other side;
- Final relaxation: at the end of any session, dedicate a few minutes to relaxation while sitting with your hands in your lap and your eyes closed. Concentrate on your breathing and let the the benefits of the exercises wash over your body.
With a good daily chair yoga routine, dealing with the stresses of the day will feel much easier!
